rhythm

flow, movement, procedure, etc. characterized by basically regular recurrence of elements or features, as beat, or accent, in alternation with opposite or different elements or features: the rhythm of speech, dancing, the heartbeat, etc.

such recurrence; pattern of flow or movement

an effect of ordered movement in a work of art, literature, drama, etc. attained through patterns in the timing, spacing, repetition, accenting, etc. of the elements

Biol. a periodic occurrence in living organisms of specific physiological changes, as the menstrual cycle, or a seasonal or daily variation in some activity, as sleep or feeding, in response to geophysical factors

Music

basically regular recurrence of grouped strong and weak beats, or heavily and lightly accented tones, in alternation; arrangement of successive tones, usually in measures, according to their relative accentuation and duration

the form or pattern of this: waltz rhythm

instruments on which the rhythm can be played; specif., rhythm section

Prosody

basically regular recurrence of grouped stressed and unstressed, long and short, or high-pitched and low-pitched syllables in alternation; arrangement of successive syllables, as in metrical units (feet) or cadences, according to their relative stress, quantity, or pitch

the form or pattern of this: iambic rhythm

Origin of rhythm

from French or L: French rythme from Classical Latin rhythmus from Classical Greek rhythmos, measure, measured motion from base of rheein, to flow: see stream

rhythm

noun

Movement or variation characterized by the regular recurrence or alternation of different quantities or conditions: the rhythm of the tides.

The patterned, recurring alternations of contrasting elements of sound or speech.

Music

a. The patterning of musical sound, as by differences in the timing, duration, or stress of consecutive notes.

b. A specific kind of such patterning: a waltz rhythm.

c. A group of instruments supplying the rhythm in a band.

a. The pattern or flow of sound created by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in accentual verse or of long and short syllables in quantitative verse.

b. The similar but less formal sequence of sounds in prose.

c. A specific kind of metrical pattern or flow: iambic rhythm.

a. The sense of temporal development created in a work of literature or a film by the arrangement of formal elements such as the length of scenes, the nature and amount of dialogue, or the repetition of motifs.

b. A regular or harmonious pattern created by lines, forms, and colors in painting, sculpture, and other visual arts.

The pattern of development produced in a literary or dramatic work by repetition of elements such as words, phrases, incidents, themes, images, and symbols.

Procedure or routine characterized by regularly recurring elements, activities, or factors: the rhythm of civilization; the rhythm of the lengthy negotiations.

rhythm - Computer Definition

An earlier suite of supply chain management software from i2 Technologies that ran on Unix, NT and mainframes. Modules offered specific planning and scheduling reports and algorithms for more than a dozen industries.

Sentence Examples

He said little else, and her breathing soon fell into rhythm with his.

The style and rhythm, indeed, were not exactly Virgilian; but the translation found many admirers, and was read with pleasure by Pope himself.

The religious feature of this philosophy, against which has often been brought the accusation of excluding religion, resides in the consciousness of the unity of all and of the perpetual creation of the world by the spirit, as though it were a poem that the spirit is eternally composing, to which each individual contributes his strophe, or it may be only his line or his word: this poem has its end in itself and in its rhythm has beauty and joy, as well as labour and sorrow.

Without a word, she slipped into his arms and fell into the rhythm of his step.

There is a curious richness in this prose, so full of rhythm and harmony, that breaks at every moment into verse, as it drags itself along its slow and weary way, halffainting under an overload of epithets.